AN international trade boss has seen how a North-East manufacturer is playing its part in helping boost UK trade around the globe.

Robin Barnett, managing director of UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) Business Group, yesterday had a tour of Bonds Foundry, in Tow Law, County Durham, which recently produced half-a-million castings for the Royal Navy’s two £4bn Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers.

The site, which employs 95 people, is a subsidiary of Bonds Ltd, the Northern foundry group recently listed 12th in The Sunday Times 100 fastest growing UK export companies, having recorded 118 per cent annual export growth over the past three years. Mr Barnett said: “Bonds Foundry has been around for more than 140 years and is an experienced exporter, but the company recognises a successful business can never stand still and should always be looking for opportunities.

“I was delighted to meet the management and staff here at Bonds, whose efforts have reaped such rewards for the company.

I hope their success will encourage others to look at overseas opportunities to help their business grow and, of course, UKTI is here to help every step of the way.”

Paul Duncan, chairman of Bonds Ltd, said having major customers in Europe and the Far East had helped it weather the impact of the recession.